Dozens of residents have been forced out of their home in Pittsburgh’s Squirrel Hill neighborhood as a fire continues to burn through the building. UPDATES: Fire breaks out at apartment on Forward AvenueSmoke first spotted around 8 a.m.All occupants accountedBuilding heavily damagedRamp from Forward Avenue to Parkway East Westbound ClosedWitnesses near the fire on Forward Avenue tell Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 they began to see smoke around 8 a.m. Tuesday morning.Pittsburgh Public Information Officer Cara Cruz says the fire was reported as a second alarm but quickly grew to a third, then fourth alarm. “(Crews) are still fighting this fire. It is obviously not under control,” Cruz said. “As I said, it started on the third floor, but there is also an electrical fire in the basement.” Both Cruz and Chief of Pittsburgh Bureau of Fire Daryl Jones said the building has been extensively damaged.Jones said there were 73 firefighters are on scene working defensively on the fire. According to the fire chief, the fight is taking longer to battle due to the age of the building. FULL PRESS CONFERENCE FROM CARA CRUZ:The fire started on the third floor of the building and continued to burn through the roof and rest of the building.Officials add there is also an electrical fire in the basement of the apartment. An evacuation order was issued and no injuries of the 30 people have been reported.A caretaker in one of the residents told Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 reporter Marcie Cipriani he was washing clothing when the first alarm went off. “We have a little cat named Jelly and I hope she’s OK — and I’m really scared. I just don’t want it to be my fault because I should have gotten her out,” the man said, distraught. “My mother-in-law has been crying. She’s been worried about the cat.”Multiple parts of the roof collapsed while the façade of the building has crumbled. We were live on air when a portion of the roof came down. Firefighters are attacking the flames from all sides of the building, including from neighboring structures. VIDEO FROM SKY 4: Smoke could be seen by drivers heading eastbound on the Parkway East into the Squirrel Hill Tunnel. It is unclear when the fire broke out. Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 has a crew at the scene and will bring you the latest information as it becomes available. Download the WTAE app to stay connected with breaking news. Sign up for our email newsletters to get breaking news in your inbox.
PITTSBURGH —
Dozens of residents have been forced out of their home in Pittsburgh’s Squirrel Hill neighborhood as a fire continues to burn through the building.
UPDATES:
Fire breaks out at apartment on Forward AvenueSmoke first spotted around 8 a.m.All occupants accountedBuilding heavily damagedRamp from Forward Avenue to Parkway East Westbound Closed
Witnesses near the fire on Forward Avenue tell Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 they began to see smoke around 8 a.m. Tuesday morning.
Pittsburgh Public Information Officer Cara Cruz says the fire was reported as a second alarm but quickly grew to a third, then fourth alarm.
“(Crews) are still fighting this fire. It is obviously not under control,” Cruz said. “As I said, it started on the third floor, but there is also an electrical fire in the basement.”
Both Cruz and Chief of Pittsburgh Bureau of Fire Daryl Jones said the building has been extensively damaged.
Jones said there were 73 firefighters are on scene working defensively on the fire. According to the fire chief, the fight is taking longer to battle due to the age of the building.
FULL PRESS CONFERENCE FROM CARA CRUZ:
The fire started on the third floor of the building and continued to burn through the roof and rest of the building.
Officials add there is also an electrical fire in the basement of the apartment.
An evacuation order was issued and no injuries of the 30 people have been reported.
A caretaker in one of the residents told Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 reporter Marcie Cipriani he was washing clothing when the first alarm went off.
“We have a little cat named Jelly and I hope she’s OK — and I’m really scared. I just don’t want it to be my fault because I should have gotten her out,” the man said, distraught. “My mother-in-law has been crying. She’s been worried about the cat.”
Multiple parts of the roof collapsed while the façade of the building has crumbled. We were live on air when a portion of the roof came down.
Firefighters are attacking the flames from all sides of the building, including from neighboring structures.
VIDEO FROM SKY 4:
Smoke could be seen by drivers heading eastbound on the Parkway East into the Squirrel Hill Tunnel.
It is unclear when the fire broke out.
Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 has a crew at the scene and will bring you the latest information as it becomes available.
Download the WTAE app to stay connected with breaking news. Sign up for our email newsletters to get breaking news in your inbox.